Ray, seriously, do you really need a bow thruster on a 25ft boat? Useful single handed, I'll grant you that but otherwise maybe not. A boat hook is a far cheaper alternative!
Re painting the hull, I do mine when it looks tatty. I use Whithams flexible marine white, lot cheaper than International (what isn't) and it remains white. I apply it with small, foam roller, I can do a 28 footer in less than half an hour per side and it looks really good. One advantage of a roller is that if I do get scruffed then I can patch the paintwork & unlike using a brush you'll be very hard pushed to see where I have made good. Two pot is probably more durable but its far harder to maintain & touch up.